Mark of Evolution
by KogameYutari
Summary: Mother... we need you... Come HEAL us... Michiru's missing? Could it be kidnapping? Though there's no sign or struggle... Gah, now what do we do? Couples include: Chika x Michiru x Zen, maybe Shuuji x Toko
1. Momma

ok, like usual, I need three good reviews before i write the whole chapter. I would usually have a bigger sample, but this is all I got done today, so...

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Z L OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN SAID ANIME

* * *

"Oi! Gopher! You're late!" yelled Chika, sighing, "You know, if you keep this record up we'll never get the loan repaid..."

"I-I'm sorry, Chika," huffed out Michiru, gasping for air. It was a long trip to here from the dormitory's, and she had ran the whole way.

"No time for apologies! Let's get going!" Chika yelled, being as impatient as ever.

"Alright, j-just let me catch my breath..," Michiru choked out, bending over and placing her hand over her chest. She glanced up and noticed the two were already getting ahead of her. _Oh well... I can catch up..._, she thought, breathing in deeply.

"Mother...," echoed a strange voice that sounded weak.

Michiru's eyes shot all the way open and noticed now that Shito and Chika weren't even in sight anymore. She turned to look behind her slowly and saw dull yellow eyes in the darkness. "M-mother?" she stuttered, her voice refusing to call out her friends' names.

A body crept out of the darkness, covered by a long black coat. A shaky child's hand came up and grabbed Michiru's sleeve, muttering, "Mother... we need you..."

"E-eh?! I-I'm not your mother... I'm sorry..," Michiru mumbled, trying to pull away but her effort were in vain. For some reason the words felt familiar to her and she wanted to follow the child into the darkness, but her will kept her from falling into the obvious trap.


	2. Our Navigation System Got Lost

ok, since I have three, I'll continue. Let's just say this is chapter two so the chapters aren't screwed up XD

again, sorry for the shortness DX

* * *

Michiru gulped as the child began dragging her toward the darkness, until they were both distracted by a load voice. Michiru turned to see an angry, and impatient, Chika running back toward her.

"Hey! Gopher, what are you doing? We need to get started!" he fussed, finally reaching her side.

"I, umm..," Michiru muttered and looked behind her. Of course, the boy had vanished. With a sigh of defeat, she turned back to the boy, "I guess I'm just slow.."

"It took you this long to figure that out? Gee, Gopher, get your butt in gear!" Chika instructed and grabbed her arm, running off to where Shito was already at. "So, what's our target today?" he asked, Michiru, letting go of her arm.

Michiru rubbed the abused arm, and pushed her glasses up, which were about to fall off. "Hold on.. let me find one..," she said and slipped them off, then she thought..., why push them off if you're just going to take them off seconds later? oh well, it didn't matter at this point how stupid she looked or make herself seem. She focused and used what Zarame had taught her to let her eyes run ahead of her body. After a moment or two of intense focus, she pointed forward and began running where she thought she saw one. "Over here!" she yelled, the other two boys following close behind her.

Michiru stopped as they were approaching a closed off road, the concrete totally abandoned, other than a few moans and groans coming from the far end. "I'm not sure if they're pricey, but they're zombies alright..," she told the duo as they were readying their hands.

"No prob. Money's money, and we need any amount we can get our hands on..," Chika muttered, smiling devilishly. Plus, with all the zombie disappearences, he would like to have some action here and there, no matter what the pay, and that usually wasn't his philocify. Money now, fun later was his other policy.

Michiru nodded, understanding his statement. The trio walked forward, letting Michiru get ahead so she could be a better 'navigation system'. With strained eyes, she slowly walked forward, gulping deeply. Since that encounter with that strange boy, she got chills all through her spine at the sight of any child, or even Chika and Shito. She kept hearing his voice crying over and over, 'Mother... we need you... Mama..... The family's not complete without Mommy...' She didn't know where the voice was coming from, or if her mind had conjured it up, but it made her blood feel like ice coursing through her body.

"Hey, Gopher, pay attention!" Chika instructed from behind, bumping Michiru's head with the pommel of his katana.

"Ah! S-sorry Chika-kun..," Michiru muttered, rubbing the back of her head. Who knew such a light hit with the end of a sword could hurt so much... Then again, it _was_ made of metal...

They arrived shortly after to what looked like a dead body, a girl in fact. She was laying on her stomach with her arms slung around her head. Her face was toward the ground, unable to be seen. Chika stepped forward and poked her with the sharp end of his sword.

"Chika!" Michiru protested, pulling on his arm. "What are you doing? She's dead," she huffed, glancing to the woman's carcass.

"Yeah, or she could be a zombie," Chika inquired, pulling his arm away from the girl. He looked to the lady and bent down, examining her closely.

"If she was a zombie, wouldn't it be a particularly bad idea to lean down in her face?" Shito asked knowingly, raising a brow at the white haired boy.

"Shut up! It's perfectly safe!" Chika shouted, standing straight up and charging at the man. He growled, "Besides, when did you become Hall Monitor?!"

As the two fought on as usual, Michiru took a step closer. Now that she looked at her, she was kind of... moving. Breathing, in fact.. She got a shiver that felt like it made her hair stand up, backing away before the women grabbed her foot.

An earlspitting scream interrupted the boys' banter, causing the two to look up and notice a big factior; their navigation system had disappeared along with the dead woman, though it was now safe to assume that the woman was in fact a zombie... Only question was: where'd she take their fifty million yen??


	3. Tool of a Friend

I feel like writing more, so I will XD

and to the fourth reviewer, you'll find that out later in the story

I've decided to update very often, but give little pieces instead of whole chapters because:

1: I don't have a lot of time in one day to make a whole chapter, and I really

2: want you guys to read what I have.

3: Plus, when I run out of time, it's often a pretty good cliffhanger. I really don't mean to do that, but at least it gives me a hook to get me readers in.

So, enjoy the story that should have a chapter for every day!

* * *

"Dammit, Gopher!" Chika scolded the air, since the 'Gopher' was missing from the conversation, "She can't stay out of trouble for ten minutes!"

"Well, look at it this way: we find her, we'll most likely find the zombie," Shito told him, not looking worried in the least.

Chika sighed in annoyance, swinging his head in Shito's direction, "Yeah, but we gotta find her first... It doesn't do us any good." He then heard a squeaking noise and looked down, noticing the little sprite known as Zarame. "Oh, wait!! That's right! This little guy can show us where either Michiru or the zombie went, huh?"

"Yes, that's what I was talking about," Shito grunted, just in case the little runt thought he came up with that first.

Chika tried his best to ignore that comment and not get sidetracked. He pointed forward and grabbed Zarame by the cape. "Go find Michiru!" he ordered, but only got a silent glare. With a sigh he let him go, pointing again with more anger. "Go!!... Please?" he asked, adding an unpleasant tone as he reluctantly said 'please'. Zarame made a maddened squeak, but then sighed and looked forward. He let out a couple more 'mews' and darted off.

"Yikes! He's a fast little devil!" Chika said urgently, trying to catch up with the eager reaper, Shito following close behind. With a great effort, Chika kept his quick pace for about twenty minutes, his own harsh breathing being the only thing he could hear. Of course, he knew Shito was having no problem, who claimed Chika was just out of shape. Pfft, him out of shape? That was the most ludicrous thing he had ever heard. Who was the one going faster, anyway?

Zarame finally stopped at a door that was a quarter open, creaking as the wind silently blew it back and forth. "God, that's one fast zombie..," Chika exhaled, placing the backs of his hands on his hips. "Well, let's go in..," he muttered, his hand swinging upward to meet the door handle.

"Wait..," Shito interrupted, grabbing Chika's arm. "Are you sure we should be going in right away?" he asked, being the smart alek he always was.

"Well, if we wait, Gopher could die a second time! And this time, we won't be able to save her!" Chika protested, swinging his sword at the obnoxious man.

"Are saying that as lover or tool?" Shito questioned, raising a brow as he gently placed his hand on the still sword, pushing it away from his face.

"What do you mean by that?! Michiru's your friend too, and she's useful. It's not love, is kind of like friendship, but it's also, in a way, a tool. We'll never earn as much money without her, and I don't want to be stuck with just you," Chika pointed out, enraged by his comment. Michiru was important to both of them, both as a friend and a tool. He knew it was harsh to refer to her as a 'tool', but it was meant in a good way. If they didn't have their 'tool', they're lives would be worse off. Without giving Shito time to respond, Chika rpelaced his hand on the door knob and hastily opened it.


	4. The Strange Mark

The door swung open and hit the wall opposite to it, revealing the zombie they had seen before. It eyes were missing, as if gauged out, and it, or she, was eating into the upper part of Michiru's side. The girl herself had been knocked out, her hair spread out across the floor, and her glasses laying shattered a few feet away from her right hand.

"Michiru!!" Chika shouted, glancing from the zombie to her. Michiru had a pretty nasty wound, or bite he should say, and who knows what the zombie had already chowed on. He got into fighting stance, Shito shooting it in the arm to get it's attention away from Michiru.

The zombie raised it head, blood dripping from it's chin. Even though it's eyes were missing, it was still as if it could see them. Those two bloody holes, where the eyes should be, staring at him sent shivers down Chika's spine. he shook his head, thinking,_ I should be used to this! Just focus!_

It rushed forward, lunging at Shito as he shot, it's outstretched hand equipped with sharp nails. Chika gulped and headed toward the creature, stabbing it while it was in midair, it's 'claws' inches away from Shito's face. His sword slid all the way through the beast's side, killing it instantly. Once the body laid limp, he put it on the ground and placed his foot on it, so he was able to get his sword out easier.

"So, what do you think? Heaven or Hell?" Chika asked Shito, glancing to the unchanged guy.

"It's hard to tell...It's not talking at all, to either one of us. Strange...," Shito responded. the both jumped backward a bit when the body started moving as if having a seizure, then it disentegrated into a thin dust.

"That.... was weird..," Chika mumbled, still slightly stunned from the creature's sudden movement.

Michiru started moving, twitching in fact. They next heard a groan from the girl, who was shakily trying to get up.

Chika rushed forward and helped her to stand up, holding her side to possibly stop the bleeding. "Guess we should get her to Yuuta, and fast," he muttered, but Michiru said nothing, only mumbling out weird slurrs and moans. He couldn't blame her, having a wound that was constantly made worse and chewed on had to hurt. he didn't know the feeling, but he had had pretty bad wounds, and one bite wound. Just not one that was still being eaten, or felt like it.

Shito nodded and hepled Michiru's other side. Now they definitely looked like a tight trio, but Shito didn't really like the term 'tight'. He didn't consider himself that close to either of the two, but rather, maybe, mild friends.

Once they made it to the Z-Loan Office, it had been a tiring thrity minute walk. Chika first came in, carrying the passed out Michiru on his back. Shito had claimed that he was weak to not be able to cvarry her on his own, so the fool took the bait and did all the owkr of carrying her, while Shito just walked calmly behind.

"Woah!" Yuuta excalimed, getting a closer look at Michiru, "What happened to her? He wounds are very interesting..." He said this with deep interest, inspecting the wound even closer.

Bekko, his chin resting on his hands as he stared at the three, glancing to Michiru, "You need to stop breaking that. Repairs are _expensive_, you know..," he muttered.

"I know, I know! Just bill me already!" Chika yelled in frustration, angered by the ever increasing weight of Michiru.

Yuuta nodded excitedly, taking Michiru off his back and carrying her to another room, one more private so he could 'repair' her more accurately. He easily stripped her of clothing without nervous expresions or pauses to blush, and to tell the truth he wasn't interested in her at the moment. Just her wound. He didn't know why they intirgued him so much, maybe it was because every wound was unique, in it's own way.

He examined the deep gash closely while also trying to stop the bleeding. There was something wrong about this wound... It looked especially strange for a zombie wound. He then glanced upward and noticed something very peculiar about some sort of mark on her arm. He could have sworn that wasn't there the last time he had checked her arm....


	5. Fight Breaks Out edit

sorry, I've been busy, but I'm really trying to update these fast, so...

and also, they _could_ be longer, since it's now the summer break and I have unlimited time. I really do hope I can make these longer for you guys, but I can't promise anything.

* * *

Tension filled the room as Chika and Shito waited for Yuuta to return. Bekko was doing his own business, totally indifferent to the boys' worry. The only thing he was worried about was having to pay more to get the damn tool fixed.

Yuuta opened the door quickly, but didn't look like he was in really in such a hurry. "I've got bad news," he muttered, "B-but it's not about Michiru's health, she'll be ok, but..." He had to say that part quickly or else they'd have a broken table with Chika's footprint on it.

"But?" Chika asked anxiously, leaning toward the nervous boy.

"There's something strange on her arm... that she didn't have before," Yuuta answered, losing his nervous stutter as he shut the door.

"A mark... on her arm?" Chika asked slowly, but didn't know what that meant at all.

"Yeah, though it was like a vine growing up her arm...," Yuuta explained further, tapping his foot, "We'll see what happens from here, but it doesn't look dangerous yet. I know there's something wrong about it, I just can't do anything right now until I know more."

The door swung open, knocking Yuuta forward and destroying the serious air. "Hey! I heard Glasses Girl got hurt," Zen said, looking around, "Where is she?"

Chika instantly grew about one-hundred anger marks, both of his hands balling in fists. "Ever heard of knocking! And her name is Michiru!" he yelled.

"Yeah, I've heard of it. Have you ever heard of anger restraint?" Zen replied, ignoring his second comment. "So, how is she?" he asked Bekko.

"She's fine," was his basic reply, clicking away at the computer, obviously mad about the cost of the 'repairs'.

"Great!" Zen answered, a wide smile on his face. Toko was the second who came in, obviously unhappy about being here in the first place. Yeah, she now worked with her rival, but she sure as hell didn't like it. Shuuji walked in behind Toko, the obvious uncaring expression on his face as he shut the door behind him.

"You don't really care," Chika growled, leaning on the wall, clearly upset by Zen's presence. Then again, when was he not?

"I do too! I wouldn't have let her get hurt in the first place!" Zen responded, sending a glare Chika's way.

Chika grew another anger mark, rushing up to the short boy, as if ready to start a fight. "That's because I was-"

"Busy arguing?" Zen sneered, happy to start a fight to the death.

"How would you know tha-"

"I didn't, it was just a guess. But now I know that it was the right answer," Zen mocked, continuously cutting him off, "If you two wouldn't have been bickering, you could have stopped her from getting hurt in the first place."

Chika gritted his teeth and looked to Shito, as if begging to switch hands to officially start the fight. Shito shook his head in answer, but was obviously fumed as well by Zen's remarks.

"Calm down you two! You can't even be in the same room without arguing over that girl," Toko pointed out angrily. Why couldn't they fight over her? That would be much more flattering. I mean, what did Michiru have that she didn't?

The whole room paused, except Bekko, as the door knob started to turn slowly, then open to show Michiru, who was using a crutch on the side her injury was on. She was smiling until she saw the blank, and angry, faces that were staring at her. "Wh-what?..." she asked nervously.


	6. Information on the Marks

"Wh-what is it?" Michiru asked timidly after a long period of silence. The angered looks eased and a smile spread on Yuuta's face.

"Nothing, we were just having a talk, right you two?" Yuuta asked Chika and Zen, both of them nodded, "But I'm glad to see you up and walking. Does your wound hurt much?"

"N-no, not as much as it did before," Michiru answered, her eyes still on Zen and Chika. She didn't believe they were 'just having a talk'. They were practically mortal enemies, so they were probably dueling it out before she walked in. Then again, that was still a plausible explanation as to why they looked so angry before.

"Goph-.. Michiru, I'm sorry that happened to you. Are you alright?" Chika asked, figuring it wasn't the time to be calling her Gopher.

"I'm fine, tha-"

"Seriously? You're letting him go that easily? He and Shito ignored you and it almost cost your life," Zen grunted, but he wasn't just taking a shot at Chika's reputation, he was also being sincere to Michiru. He worried about her all the time, wondering what idiocy Chika had comited that might get her in this kind of situation. After a moment, he walked up to her and examined the spot that had been partly eaten. "Geez... That must have hurt..., Michuru, are you sure you're ok?" he asked in a serious tone.

Michiru nodded to confirm her past statement, then said, "Yes, I'm sure. Thank you Zen." She chose not to respond to Zen's first comment, about Chika and Shito's irresponsibility. She mostly saw it as her fault for staying close to the suspicious dead woman. Then, something hit her. The woman had said something before 'chowing down on her'. "Oh, wait! The zombie She had said something before!" she said, nearly losing her crutch in excitement.

"What?" Yuuta asked, being the most interested in the room. If he could hear what the zombie had said, he may be able to figure out what the markings on Michiru's arm were about.

"She had said... 'They need a watcher... A parent-figure. You are this watcher.' I believe that's all...," Michiru told Yuuta, tilting her head, "But I have no idea what that means..."

Infuriated in the background, Chika began to calm down, but not all the way, seeing as how Zen was still beside Michiru. "What a weird thing for a hungry zombie to say," he grunted. He then sent a secret glance to Zen that told him to move or else.

Zen returned the look of 'no', why still keeping his serious behavior. "A parent figure... Like a Mom? Who strange...," he said, turning to face Yuuta, "Can you make sense of it?"

Yuuta shrugged, answering, "I'll have to check on my resources. If I'm lucky, I'll find something about this strange statement."

"Oh, wait!" Michiru yelled lightly, grabbing Yuuta by the sleeve as he was about to leave, "This morning, before we found the woman.. There was this boy cloaked in black. He was calling me Mother and saying he needed me. It was really strange, but I think it's obviously related to the woman's statement."

Yuuta gave her a weird look, but then nodded, "Thanks for the info, Michiru. I'll do my best to find out what's going on." He smiled and exited the room, hurrying down the stairs. _A watcher... Parent-like figure... A strange child cloaked in black, and Michiru's vine-like markings up her arm... What does it all mean?_ he thought to himself, a worried feeling building up in his gut.


End file.
